Alumnus: At EHU I acquired the ability to see opportunities

published 25/05/2015

Igor Zubov graduated from the EHU bachelor’s program in international law in 2009. He continued his studies specializing on international arbitrage at Stockholm University. He currently lives in Amsterdam and works for the law firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.

– Could you please tell us about your career path after finishing your studies at EHU?

– After I finished EHU, I entered Stockholm University to study for a master’s degree. My first professional experience I got at a law firm in London. After that, I started working in the Netherlands in a law firm, where I still work as a senior lawyer.

– How did EHU help you with choosing your future career?

– To be honest, I had chosen my future profession before entering EHU. However, I think that my professional path shows that EHU has formed me and prepared me for my occupation. The university gave me a base of knowledge that helped me to build a successful career.

– How difficult was it to get used to life in the Netherlands? Did you often face difficulties because of cultural differences?

– Actually, there were no difficulties at all. It was quite an interesting story; my plane landed at Amsterdam airport on August 31 at noon, and on September 1 at 9 a.m. I was already working. I think EHU prepares you for the different kinds of changes that you can face in your future life. At EHU, you can meet new people and travel in other countries. The fact of leaving Belarus for Lithuania is already a big experience in adaptation to a new culture.

– What skills and experience have you acquired at EHU that are useful in your current profession?

– The qualities like self-sufficiency, independence, and responsibility that are formed during studies at EHU are very important. I think one of the most significant skills that I acquired at EHU is the ability to see opportunities where other people don’t see them or are otherwise afraid of using them. Also, as have many other alumni, I learned how to set goals, strive to achieve them, and not to give up.

– What professional achievement is the most valuable for you at the moment?

– The specificity of work as a lawyer is that you can’t reveal many things because of confidentiality. However, I can openly share with you that I feel pride every time when the cases that I work on contribute to improving the rule of law and the legal state. All the cases that end up as successes bring me lots of joy.

– The question that interests perhaps every EHU student is whether it is possible to get a good salary after finishing EHU?

– Yes, definitely. It is possible, but it all depends on the graduate. Possibilities always exist, and EHU helps us see them. How you try to use them further, though, to achieve your goals, is up to you.

– What plans do you have for the future?

– I have been working in the sphere of law for more than four years, and I am going to continue realizing my full potential here and grow as a professional.

– Besides your career, do you have other interests and hobbies?

– I believe that every person should strive to have interests that go beyond their occupation so that the interests could harmoniously complement your life and help you develop as a personality. For example, in my spare time I like yachting.

– In the end, I think it will be very interesting for students to hear something about the secret of your success or get a small farewell.

– Maybe I will sound a bit trivial, but in order to achieve success, one must simply know how to set goals, make everything to achieve them, and not give up. Do not be afraid to use every possibility you have and be persistent.